The author of Practical Magic and Here on Earth, Alice Hoffman here gives us a stunning novel five years in the making. In 70 AD, in the Judean Desert, 900 Jews held out for months in the mountain fortress of Masada against a Roman legion. According to the ancient historian Josephus, two women and five children survived the siege. Hoffman's novel is a spellbinding tale of four independent, resourceful, and sensuous women, each of whom has come to Masada by a different path. All are dovekeepers, and all are also keeping secrets about who they are, where they come from, who fathered them, and whom they love.

"I am still reeling from The Dovekeepers—from the history Alice Hoffman illuminates, from the language she uses to bring these women to life. This novel is a testament to the human spirit and to love rising from the ashes of war. But most of all, this novel is one that will never be forgotten by a reader."—Jodi Picoult

"In her remarkable new novel, Alice Hoffman holds a mirror to our ancient past as she explores the contemporary themes of sexual desire, women's solidarity in the face of strife, and the magic that's quietly present in our day-to-day living. Put The Dovekeepers at the pinnacle of Hoffman's extraordinary body of work. I was blown away."—Wally Lamb